Konohagakure Lore
History Forest Country barely existed, the once lush and endless forest was reduced to ashes, as deep craters lined the battlefields and one whole area in the west was so hazardous that no creature dared enter. The Uchiha had depleted their wealth entirely and returned swiftly to Moon Country to try and kickstart their economy. With no allies on their side, the Senju reluctantly handed over control of Forest Country to Sadaki Fume - a wealthy merchant who had carried the alliance financially throughout the war. In succession, he granted the forest-dwellers an insignificant portion of land where they could establish a settlement. As the effort began to rebuild the land, many came to Forest Country in search of work and a better life. As the population grew with time, Fume hosted a lavish ceremony to greet them and appointed himself as a Feudal Lord. It was at this event that he declared the renaming of the land to Fire Country, a symbol of the Great War. In the meantime, Wind Country had already begun work for a modern version of a village, the brainchild of the Feudal Lord and the Kaguya elders It was envisioned to provide an army that could be hired by any paying customer to complete hazardous missions, comprising in the Village Hidden in the Sand. The Fire Feudal Lord did not like to be outdone, known as a man who flaunted his wealth, a keen gambler. Plagued with jealousy over Sunagakure, he called the Senju Alliance back together. It was decided that Fire Country would build its own Shinobi village, greater than the one far out in the West, with each member of the alliance investing into it. Initially, the Senju were reluctant to take part in the project but were soon encouraged by their Uchiha friends, who nudged them that it would be a way for them to detain some power over their old holdings. Work began and within two years the Village Hidden in the Leaves opened its gates, calling for any who possessed the power of Ninjutsu to come with their families in pursuit of a better life. The first Konoha council was comprised of two Senju, two Uchiha, two Uzumaki and a representative of the Daimyo. Their initial action as the council was to select a Hokage, as the three clans had demanded a legitimate vote, disagreeing with the bias that had been shown in Suna. The council decisively voted for Uzumaki Jarin to become the first leader of the village, as he was scrupulously respected amongst the alliance as one of the convoys that had gone to Stone Country to find and seal Chomei within Aburame Mumei. On top of that, he had spent his life before that as a navy commander and scholar, which proved his experience and intelligence. ' ' Through time, Konoha grew swiftly from a shell of a village to a bustling hub in the centre of Fire Country, its growth accelerated by the ongoing investment by the Daimyo. Despite Suna remaining a more established village, its remote location made it difficult for the Kazekage to encourage business with other countries, and many nations did not want to be seen having a relationship with the Kaguya clan and their affiliates. Alternatively, Konoha was able to develop relationships easily with their neighbouring nations and persuade some of the best talents to their ranks. Those that fought for the villages became familiar as Shinobi, and their job was considered to be for life, requiring absolute loyalty. It was a lot to demand of men and women who were so strongly bonded to their clans and communities, but a price to pay for the improved quality of life that these villages provided. Many believed that both could coexist in harmony, although, in truth, both were simply preoccupied with their own progress. As Suna continued to enact discriminatory laws, Lord-Hokage sent a group of Shinobi to Baron Country to learn of an art form that was unique to a local tribe. The people there had found a way to improve their strength by harnessing chakra that was typically limited by a body's Tenketsu. Konoha developed this technique to provide a place in society for those that did not demonstrate the innate ability to use Ninjutsu, making a show of their rivals who were persecuting people for it. Gates became the signature technique of Konoha and those that were able to acquire it became stronger than most Shinobi, leading to their reluctant acceptance in Suna in more recent years. ' ' Uzumaki Jarin represented an honourable leader, often taking advice from the village council and his peers. He enjoyed a humble life and despite acquiring a dedicated building in the centre of Konoha to work from, he was often found walking the streets of the village reading a scroll or chatting with the citizens. The Hokage was very charitable and would often pay for those that arrived in Konoha without a ryo to their name, most often children escaping persecution in Sunagakure for disabilities they had. Jarin ultimately adopted one of these children to the shock to many when he suddenly bore an adolescent girl bundled in his arms as he strolled about the village. They were inseparable. The girl Hitomi was a brilliant spark, and just at the frail age of three she already showed promise for Earth Techniques, utilizing it to form small mounds of earth in front of Jarin’s feet so he would trip. Hitomi was partially blind, but it never seemed to affect her spirit or her ability to strengthen her Ninjutsu. At the age of 12, she had instinctively snatched a minor child from being hit by a cart on the main street by extending her shadow to trap the youngster before it had stepped into harm's way. The discovery that Hitomi was a Nara seemed to explain her kind nature and high intelligence, and Jarin arranged for her to visit the clan in Forest Country, where she trained for three consecutive years. ' ' By the time Hitomi returned, the village was unrecognisable and its size had doubled. A massive wall extended all the way around it, though it seemed insignificant in comparison to the village that Hitomi had seen being built near the border of Forest Country. The Village Hidden in the Rain was the recent venture of the Aburame, a city with towering buildings that looked like they touched the clouds. The Fire Daimyo had once governed the portion of land where the present-day village sat, but it had been forsaken for years. It was the location where Mumei had finally cast the Kaguya out of the Great War, but she and Chomei had done so much damage that it had become a wasteland. Acid rain fell perpetually from the sky, and it seemed uninhabitable. The Feudal Lord had forfeited the land in a gambling match, and it had fallen into the hands of the Aburame who had set about building a power station there that would power the continent. Hitomi would spend hours in the trees that hugged the border, mesmerised by the neon lights that appeared at nightfall and disappeared in the morning, burning light through the dull sky. The walls around Konoha had been erected as a precaution under the Daimyo's instructions, who was concerned that Amegakure would be a rival Shinobi village, though that never became the case. Tensions in the Badlands grew as Suna descended into a totalitarian state and, despite the explicit message from Amegakure that they represented no threat, the Kazekage and his father began to throw their weight around in the region. Sunagakure sent Shinobi to Desert and Stone country and began to indiscriminately attack the tribes that resided there, the Konoha council regarded this as a provocation and denounced Sunagakure’s actions, inciting a war between the two villages. The Hokage had been reluctant to send his Shinobi into battle on such a grand scale, but the act of genocide by the Sand could be unignored. The war waged for five years and was devastating for both villages, as hundreds of Shinobi forfeited their life, some mere children fresh from the Academies. Jarin knew this couldn’t continue, for he did not desire a repeat of the Great War and therefore went to the region in search of the Kazekage to confront him directly. They decided to let the fate of the war hang on a battle between the two of them, and it was recognized as the Battle of Kages. The pair fought for two days without rest in the centre of Stone Country and, ultimately, Jarin was victorious, delivering the fatal blow on Osore with a legendary Rasengan that split the Kazekage in two. The war was over, but the Hokage was crippled having drained his chakra to defeat his opponent and was taken back to Konohagakure to be treated by the Arumaze there. The troops returned to their villages, with some Leaf Shinobi remaining in the region to stabilize it - a decision that would cost dearly. With the Hokage incapacitated in the hospital, the Wind Daimyo took the opportunity to retaliate for the loss of his son. Blinded by rage, he discharged his secret weapon to Fire Country, a Kaguya posing as a merchant with a demon sealed within him. The Daimyo had obtained the Nine-Tails, the strongest Bijuu recognized to endure the war between Men and Beasts, and had sealed it within one of his Shinobi as the Senju Alliance had done at the end of the Great War with the Seven-Tails. The unnamed Jinchuriki was cast loose on Konohagakure just as the Hokage was beginning to come around and was visited by the Fire Daimyo. However, he was extremely exhausted to battle, and three Arumaze had to sacrifice their life to heal Jarin to sufficient strength within the hour. Konoha was in chaos; the Bijuu Kurama had escaped from the Jinchuriki and was out of control, casting half the village alight with the citizens in a state of sheer panic. The Hokage ordered his Shinobi to protect the Daimyo and the people of Konoha instead of directly battling Kurama. It is believed that he confronted the Beast alone, although the truth is unknown, as in the confusion there were no witnesses to what happened. It was only certain a large explosion took place near the south-west of the village, and as the smoke faded, Kurama was gone with Jarin’s body nowhere to be found. The village lost their Hokage but also their Daimyo to the attack, as Fume was found beneath a collapsed part of the village wall. The Shinobi who were tasked with defending him insisted that the Feudal Lord had demanded they aid the children of the village above him, and his sacrifice has gained him the name of a hero. Despite the destruction caused by Kurama, a relatively limited number of people had died. In the weeks after the Nine-Tails attack, Hitomi was voted in as the second Hokage, even if she had been serving on the council for only a year and was its youngest member. At the age of twenty-three, she was elected for her wisdom and strategic thinking, though some believed she was physically weak enough to rule. Despite the adversity, Hitomi concentrated her attention on propelling the village into its best version and pursued the work of her adopted father by building substantial relationships with neighbouring nations. She is credited with setting up the Shinobi Ranking System that exists today with progressive ranks to push their best Shinobi into leadership positions. Hitomi equally made the Konohagakure Academy the most prestigious school for Ninjutsu learning in the world, employing scholars to teach the next generation of Shinobi. The Hokage’s diplomatic efforts did not completely end there, as she extended an olive branch to Sunagakure to try and mend the destructive rivalry between the two. Bringing into fruition the joint Chunin Exams, her act allowed Shinobi from both villages to establish bonds at a young age and regard each other as real people, rather than enemies. ' ' However, not everyone agreed with the Hokage’s way of leadership. It was perceived that she was too soft a leader, which made the Leaf seem weak and vulnerable. When Sunagakure entered a period of drought and poverty, it was expected that the Hokage would allow the vast swathes of refugees entering Fire Country to settle in the village. Hitomi knew this would cause protests in the village, as her people were still aching from the ordeal with the Nine-Tails' attack, even though many years had passed since. Considerable groups of Sunagakure refugees would be unable to assimilate into the village if they were vilified by the population, therefore, the Hokage publicly forbade the admittance of emigrants into Konohagakure, although secretly she instructed the gate guards to allow the most vulnerable to pass into the village. Most of the existing citizens were able to turn a blind eye to those that did get into the Konohagakure, as long as they proved themselves loyal by enrolling in the Academy. As the Sand recovered from poverty, the Leaf maintained a peaceful relationship and convinced the Fire Daimyo to allow Wind Country to make use of a trade route across the south of Fire Country, to help restore the village’s economy. Both prospered as Konohagakure earned from taxing Sunagakure's usage of the roads, and the two took turns to host the Chunin Exam each year. This was recognized as the Golden Age of the Hidden Villages and was Hitomi’s greatest legacy when she retired at the age of fifty, making way for the next generation of leadership. ' ' Gaining her seat on the council, she was replaced by one of her students, Kyou. The Third Hokage was considered one of the strongest Shinobi in Konoha at the time, the first Gates user to open the Seventh Gate. His inauguration was overshadowed by the dramatic defection of one of the councilwomen, who was also a former student of Hitomi. Eshima was outraged that she had not been nominated to replace the previous Hokage, and just as the inauguration ceremony began, the woman attempted to execute the elected leader. Even though she was unsuccessful, the woman escaped before she was apprehended, and for years lead Konohagakure into an aimless search of justice. The rogue Shinobi remains at large to this day. Kyou’s rule was plagued for many years after that. The Daimyo had caused a string of inadequate financial investments, delivering him closer to ruin. And with Sunagakure not operating the road across Fire Country, Konohagakure’s economy suffered another hit. The Daimyo was then forced to dispose of a considerable portion of his share in Konoha to maintain his power, as it is allegedly believed that the Uchiha had played the role of a mysterious buyer. Within a couple of years, the Uchiha District was built in Konoha, the first clan to include a dedicated neighbourhood of this kind. During this time, cutbacks had to be made in the Leaf for its survival, and many Shinobi were laid off with reduced wages. As a result, commerce dwindled in the village. Poverty hit hard and unexpectedly for many, while the streets were left full of litter with businesses being closed one after another. The villagers became desperate, and their suffering turned to anger directed at the Hokage in the form of daily protests in the main square. By the time the council elections came, the level of discontent in the village was at an all-time high, and many of the villagers and Shinobi had discovered a narrow window of hope in the Seikatsu faith, which for most of history exercised little influence in the village. Many Seikatsu monks obtained seats in the council with none of the original Senju Alliance retaining members of their clans voted in for the first time. Kyou found himself with few allies at his side, and over the next decade, the Seikatsu faith would grasp more power over Konoha. Becoming the primary religion of the region, many of the council members acted in defiance to the Hokage, as they received the support of the majority of the Shinobi. The Daimyo was reluctant to get involved with the village affairs, still recovering from debt. With immense pressure to step down from his position for nearly a decade, the Hokage persevered in his leadership, hoping to maintain some normality in the village. Leaf Shinobi seemed brainwashed by the Seikatsu monks, who were considered radicals in their religious beliefs, enforcing strict and discriminatory laws that made the village akin to Sunagakure in its early days. The laws were oppressive to any who did not follow the Seikatsu faith but largely seemed to perpetuate the poverty in Konohagakure, benefitting on a select few monks. The Seikatsu rule came to an end when the head monk was found dead in the main square, his body hanging from the gates of the Hokage Building. Kyou had invested two years secretly training an elite squad of loyal Shinobi who would be able to successfully rip the core of the Seikatsu influence without inciting riots in Konohagakure. This was the birth of the ANBU, a squad of Shinobi who answered directly to Hokage. The death of the Monk was never successfully pinned on Kyou, and without their leader, the faith diminished in power among the population. As the Hokage began to regain control of the village, he was delivered news of Sunagakure invading Baron Country and attacking the tribes there. At first, the Lord decided not to send any of his Shinobi to defend their neighbouring country, as the Leaf was still rebuilding from the years of indoctrination and war would be bad for morale. After a year, however, he suddenly altered his mind, and the prompt decision was produced to send Konohagakure to war against Sunagakure for the second time, stating the village was preserving the people of Baron country from being victims of genocide. Branding it an attempt to stop history repeating itself at the hands of Sunagakure, it soon became lucid that the Leaf too were interested in harvesting the precious metals of Baron. The war waged on for 13 years, relentless and unforgiving, as each side pushed and secured ground to rush to harvest what materials they could before retreating under the attack of the enemy. However, neither side operated any territory for longer than a month or two. Whenever Konohagakure was on the advancing side, their economy was expanded, sustaining their war and allowing the village to prosper. It was transparent this war had not been futile, but it seemed like there would be no end to it in this generation.